The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-13
DEGENERATE CONGRESS.

1.-THE Congress of the United States
has become the most incapable legisla-
tive body of the constitutional world, u
is the vigorous language of the editor of
the Century. Congress" he says, zig
no longer legislative body. Its de-
generation is now admitted. It consists
now of plutocracy at one end, and a
mobocracy at the other. The two
chronic perils of democracy have a
firm grip Oh the Congress of the United
States" The course of Congress has
for years been down hill" The two
Houses are controlled by influences
antagonistic to intelligent legislation ,,
This is pretty strong language; and
while itsis an accurate expression of our
own views, we should have hesitated in
venting them for fear of being de-
nounced as traitors by the organ of the
local patriots. And here we might
pause to remark that love of country
is a virtue often proposed by
men of corrupt lives and motives, but
in doing so we should lay ourselves open
to the charge of being reasonable, and
therefore We quote the saying of John
son, directly in point, that, patriotism
is the last refuge of seoundrsls." The
opinion that, $50 far as the Senate is
concerned, its case is hopeless" is sus-
tanned by every thinking Eperson in the
country, and finds constant expression
in the public journals. 1.-The American
House of Lords " is what writer in the
North AnaericanReview called the Senate.
And our readers will recall recent
cartoon in Puck representing the Senate
Chamber, each chair being occupied BY
a bag of money, instead of Senator.
1t is not disputed that the plan pro-
vided in the Constitution for the cleo
ton of this branch of the National
Legislature is unwise. There is a wide
spread belief that the selection of Sena.
tors should be left to the people; such
method, by increasing greatly the num-
Der of voters to be Influenced, would
prevent, in great measure, the
purchase and sale of seats,
and the incompetency and inequality
resulting therefrom. The word wealth.
as prerequisite to election to the
United States Senate means now what
was once meant by the words "intel-
igence, political experience, Estates
manship." A man may have been ever
SO obscure in every sense except in that
of riches; his labors may have led him
to pass life time in the backwoods, but
pit him and his money barrels against
the tried and experienced but poor
legislator, and he will, by some mysteri-
Gus influence, gain the coveted prize.
In the House the case is somewhat
different. The fact that the people
elect them would be a conpIeta
guarantee of their competency, were
it not often the case that conven-
tons are ruled by unwise and dis
honest motives. In both houses. how
ever, the greatest impediments to sue
cessful legislation are found in govern
ing rules that are made with a view to
political advantages and impeding the
course of business, and in the lack of
interest of members.
Under such rules "Pitt or Gladstone
would be an enforced cipher" while
with such irresponsible shiftless men it
results that dangerously few members
control the whole course of legislation,
while Others do not attend or vote at
all. or follow their leaders over eyerv
precipice as sheep follow the bell
wether. Under such methods the
thought is not wherein will this Law